Symone has volunteered with the Mentoring to Manhood Program, helping students to prepare for standardized tests. She is also a participant in the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship program. She is the Vice President of her MAPS chapter and currently pursuing a BS in Biology from Bowie State University where she is set to graduate this May

Christen has served as Regional Vice-Chair of the Health Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee as well as a SNMA Future Leadership Project fellow. As a MD/MPH candidate at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, her end goal is to become an Adolescent Medicine Practitioner where she can continue her work in improving outcomes for adolescent mothers and their children.

Clinical Sciences Scholarship

Christopher Watson, Meharry Medical College, Region X

Christopher has served on region’s Constitution Committee and as Region X’s Diversity Research Liaison. As Team Captain and Committee Chair, he led an initiative which raised over $2,000 for the March of Dimes Walk. He believes that healthcare is a right that everyone should have access to regardless of background and is determined to create opportunities and programs that will provide outstanding medical care to every patient regardless of his or her socioeconomic status.

P.R.I.D.E Award – The Commonwealth Medical College

The PRIDE Award acknowledges a chapter who demonstrates PRIDE – Perseverance in Academic Achievement, Recruitment and Retention of Future Minority Physicians, Intensity of Advocacy and Leadership, Dedication to Service and Humanity, Enthusiasm for SNMA.

The Commonwealth Medical Commonwealth Medical College SNMA chapter was able to show their PRIDE through various programs this year. Through monthly sessions for 80 students chapter participated in the REACH-HEI Partnership, a program federally funded under the Department of Health and Human Services, which provides near-peer relationships that can aid in providing a seamless pathway from high school through colleges to economically disadvantaged students in Northeast Pennsylvania who are interested in health-related professions. Additionally, the chapter organized a mentoring program at the Northeast Intermediate School, facilitating workshops to encourage middle-school students to pursue higher education while providing them with exposure to mentors from diverse backgrounds. The chapter also led a School Supply drive for K-12 students donating supplies to over 60 students.

The Member of the YEAR awards recognizes the MAPS and SNMA member who exemplifies the spirit of service and scholarship that has defined our organization for the last 50 years.

2013- 2014 MAPS Member of the Year

Annah Adanene, Dominican University MAPS Chapter, Region II

Annah served as Dominican University MAPS Chapter President. She was integral to increasing this new chapter’s membership from 7 to 54 in one year. She formed a Mentorship Program with the Loyola SNMA chapter to ensure that her members received much needed guidance and initiated a monthly speaker series. Additionally, she arranged for her chapter to work with Night Ministry Mobile Clinics, a Chicago-based organization that works to provide housing, health care, information, and human connection to members of our community struggling with poverty and homelessness.

2013- 2014 SNMA Member of the Year

Darryl Cannady – University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Region IV

Darryl served as the 2013-2014 President of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine SNMA Chapter. His nominator spoke of “extraordinary leadership, sound judgment and dedication towards his chapter and the community” as the impetus for his nomination. Darryl was integral to organizing Sickle Cell presentations for Miami high school students, developing relationships with local MAPS chapters via Mock Interview events and MAPS Mixers and mentoring those around him.

The Chapter of the Year recognizes one MAPS and one SNMA Chapter for its tireless efforts and dedication to fulfilling the mission of MAPS and SNMA.

2013- 2014 MAPS Chapter of the Year

Georgetown University MAPS, Region VI

Highlights of this chapter’s year included the development of a Sickle Cell Awareness Month program that included fun, educational games and activities and a partnership with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive to help those with the disease. Additionally, the chapter participated in the AIDS Walk DC and hosted an HIV/AIDS testing van on campus to promote the importance of early testing intervention in sexual health. To address the Obesity epidemic the chapter invited a dietician to speak to members about the importance of living active lifestyles while engaging in healthy dietary behavior. The chapter had a strong representation at the Region 6 Conference and has enjoyed interacting with local MAPS and SNMA chapters at various mentoring events.

2013- 2014 SNMA Chapter of the Year

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Region IV

The University of North Carolina’s SNMA chapter addressed a plethora of SNMA protocols this year. To address Mental Health the chapter screened the film “Documenting our Presence: Multicultural Experiences of Mental Illness” which took a compassionate and hopeful look at the experiences of people of diverse backgrounds, affected by serious mental illness. To tackle Obesity the chapter developed a Zumba Girls! Program which provided Zumba/physical activity session for Durham middle school girls and participated in the Walk-a-Mile for Child event which promoted lifestyles, parent and child communication, and exposure to health professional careers. The chapter hosted a variety of social events to engage their members and student body and held multiple recruitment mixers aimed at attracting high school and college students to the field of medicine.This year the chapter hosted the Region IV Medical Education Conference titled “Bridging the Equity Gap: Pathways to Healthy Communities through Shared Education and Solutions”